Seaweek – Kaupapa Moana - is New Zealand’s annual week celebrating the sea.
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Seaweek is an opportunity for all ages to discover the ways our lives are connected to the sea.
In March every year, we encourage and promote events and community action projects to inspire and enable this connection, through activities which include:
● public engagement events inspired by the ocean
● outdoor recreation activities, ie. paddling & snorkelling experiences
● community clean-ups along beaches & waterways
● guided coastal exploration
● engagements with citizen science
Coordination
National coordination of Seaweek is led by Sir Peter Blake Marine Education and Recreation Centre (MERC), made possible through grant funding and the work of a large network of volunteers. Seaweek events throughout the country are organised by a wide range of individuals, groups, businesses and organisations. We’re grateful for the collaborative work which enables us to offer and promote opportunities which inspires kiwis to take time to connect with the sea.
History
Seaweek has been a regular fixture in Aotearoa New Zealand for over 30 years, initially beginning as an art competition in 1987 at the Marine Discovery Centre in Victoria, Australia. Following that, it was coordinated by the Marine Education Society of Australasia, reaching New Zealand in 1992.
From the late 1990s through to 2019, New Zealand Association for Environmental Education (NZAEE) coordinated the event through its nationwide network. In 2019 Sir Peter Blake MERC started to work alongside NZAEE to deliver Seaweek, and in 2023 custodianship was more formally passed onto MERC.
Each year, Seaweek collaborates with a wide range of groups across Aotearoa New Zealand to organise a variety of accessible opportunities for all to immerse themselves in the marine environment and learn about the ocean. Seaweek hopes to inspire people to engage with nature, explore the ocean and develop a deep sense of connection to our environment so that all are inspired and empowered to be kaitiaki.
To learn more about what we do have a look through reports from the past few years:
2021 Snapshot Report